Contributor Guidelines

Criteria for Submission

Poets whose primary output is literary publication must have published at least one full-length creative work of poetry (full-length poetry book or chapbook, translations eligible; but not pre-publication galleys, proofs or advanced reader’s copies) published by a peer-reviewed independent, university, commercial, or collective press (no self-published materials); and/or at least five different poems (translations eligible), published in two or more peer-reviewed journals, literary magazines, or anthologies. 

Poets whose primary output is performance-based (poetry written specifically for performance rather than print distribution) must present documentation of at least five major works representative of the writer’s development. Provide information on the publisher/venue and/or stated editorial policy with evidence of a juried selection process. 

As with any archival undertaking, there will likely be gaps in information; but this is a work-in-progress that will, with time and judicious effort, reflect the richness, diversity, and development of poetry and poets in Virginia.

Self-Submission Form

  • Title:  Your name (or nom de plume)
  • Poet Information: Your email address and full name ("institution" not required)
  • About the Poet:  Your Author Bio written in third person, no more than three paragraphs in length, listing your most significant personal and professional information, connection to Virginia, and most significant publications and awards.
    • Sample: Léonie Adams (1899-1988)
            Born on December 9, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York, Léonie Adams graduated from Barnard College in 1922.An educator, consultant, editor, and poet, she was best known for her meticulously crafted lyric poetry, which fused Romantic and Metaphysical elements. In the 1920s, she served in editorial capacities for both Wilson Publishing and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She then went on to teach English and lecture at various colleges and universities, including New Jersey College for Women, from which she received an honorary doctoral degree in 1950; University of Washington; the Breadloaf Writers Conference; Columbia University; New York University; and Sarah Lawrence College.
             From 1948–1949, Adams was the Poetry Consultant for the Library of Congress (now the position called U.S. Poet Laureate). Her collections of poetry are Poems: A Selection (1954), which received the Bollingen Prize (a joint-winner with Louise Bogan); This Measure (1933); High Falcon and Other Poems (1929); and Those Not Elect (1925). In 1974, Adams was awarded an Academy Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets. Adams's awards and honors also include a fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation, grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Institute of Arts and Letters, and the Shelley Memorial Award. She died on June 27, 1988, in New Milford, Connecticut.
  • Region: Click here to view a map of the Virginia regions.  
  • Virginia City or County Affiliation and Years of Residence in Virginia
  • Current City/State of Residence
  • Gender
  • Race/Ethnicity
  • Year of Birth
  • Keywords/Tags that describe themes in your work
  • Website address
  • List of Published Works or Performances
    • Sample:
            Night Willow (Phoenicia Publishing, Montreal, 2014)
            The Saints of Streets (University. of Santo Tomas Publishing House, 2013)
  • List of up to five selected poems/works that meet the eligibility criteria described above.
    • If works were published online, provide links that connect to pages with the clear/complete text of poems and all publishing information
    • If works were published in a print journal and you own the copyright, upload a Word document file labeled with your last name and poem title, containing the complete text of each poem on separate pages as well as all publishing information.
    • Performance works should be submitted as MP4 or MOV files, labeled with the poet’s last name and poem title; in addition, submit a Word document file clearly providing links and documentation on the publisher/venue and/or stated editorial policy, with evidence of a juried selection process. Use the "Additional Files" option.
    • Author Photo/Headshot - clear, high resolution digital photograph, with photographer credits if available. Use the "Additional Files" option to submit your photo.

    • Questions?
    Email VaPoetsDatabase@odu.edu